Cougars Are State Champs
It was the same song, only a different verse, for the Piedmont Academy baseball team.
For the second time in as many seasons, the Diamond Cougars had run out of opponents to defeat as they capped a state championship season by sweeping Windsor Academy of Macon. Piedmont won the first game of the series Friday 4-0 and then held on for a 9-7 victory in game two Saturday as another GISA Class AA state championship trophy now makes its home in Monticello.
It was the culmination of a season which saw a new head coach, a strong group of seniors, a region championship and another perfect run through the postseason. As the final out was recorded Saturday afternoon it was all-out pandemonium as the celebration was under way.
“It’s really something I can’t describe,” said senior Hunter Burson. “We wanted it all year. We have worked so much to get here. It’s the ultimate feeling. I can’t say enough about how I value each of my teammates and coaches.”
Fellow senior Hunter Knox said he wasn’t sure if he fully comprehended just yet what had taken place.
“It will probably be later tonight before it does,” Knox said. “We knew Windsor was a good team and that we couldn’t let down at any time. They showed they didn’t give up as they made a run in the seventh inning. It also says a lot about us that we were able to hold them off.”
For first-year head coach Daniel Funt, who had been a long-time assistant coach for the program, Saturday’s championship was the completion of a season-long quest.
“How hard is it to win it all when you know all season you’ve had a target on your back,” Funt said. “We had to handle everything that came our way. We had long layoffs due to the weather and spring break. We had to fight to win region and each playoff series was a battle. To be able to win all of our playoff games says so much about our players.”
The Cougars (22-5-1) received strong pitching from ace Zach Beggs and generated enough offense in game one to earn a win in the series opener. In the second game Saturday, Piedmont had to rally from an early deficit and then hold as the Windsor Knights (20-8-1) tried one last time to catch up in the seventh inning.
“We’ve been working so much all season to get here today,” said third baseman Noah Quick. “This happened because of the work of every player on the team. This is one of those feelings you know will stay with you from now on.”
GAME ONE<./b>
Beggs turned in another strong pitching effort, just as he did all season. Windsor was held scoreless in the series opener managing just one hit as Beggs recorded four strikeouts and allowed four walks.
The game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when Luke Andrews hit a sacrifice fly to left field which allowed Mack Brady, who started the inning by walking, to score.
In the fourth inning, Burson scored the second run of the game when he crossed home when Brady hit into a fielder’s choice.
The third run came in the bottom of the fifth inning as Andrews was able to score on a sacrifice fly by Michael Edwards. Piedmont’s fourth and final run came in the sixth inning when Andrews drove in Brady, who had started the inning with a double.
The Cougars left 10 runners stranded in game one, something that Funt said could have caused a difference in the outcome.
“We did a good job of getting runners on base, but couldn’t get them in,” the coach said. “That’s way too many runners to leave on base.”
Windsor’s Austin Thomas pitched the first four innings before Tyler Christian worked the next two for the Knights. Both pitchers did good jobs of working out of jams for the Knights.
With game one secured, Piedmont now looked toward Saturday when it hopes to close out the series.
GAME TWO
Holding a slim 5-4 lead going into the seventh inning, the Cougars (the designated visiting team for game two) put four runs on the board and seemed to be in good shape.
Knox singled with one out and then stole second base. Carter singled to put runners on first and third with one out. The Knights recorded another out on a strikeout but then Knox scored when Windsor catcher Seth Elder tried to get him leading too far off third base.
An infield single by Edwards then brought Cameron Hammock, who was the courtesy runner for Brock Carter, home for the team’s seventh run.
Brady then drove in another run and Piedmont added a ninth run on a wild pitch by Windsor.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Knights made the game interesting after a three-run homer by Jonathan Osborne. That brought home Josh Brooks and Landry Rustin who started the inning with singles.
Beggs was then called on to finish the game and he did not allow another run.
Michael Davis started game two for the Cougars and after a rough first inning, the senior settled down and did not allow any runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings. After Davis walked Elder, Windsor’s leadoff batter in the bottom of the sixth, on four consecutive pitches, Funt brought in Brock Carter, who had thrown effective earlier in the state playoffs.
Carter allowed a single but then the Piedmont defense turned a double play. Jameson Lee singled for the Knights but the inning ended when a Windsor runner was thrown out trying to reach third base.
The Knights jumped out to a 4-1 lead after the first inning. Piedmont scored one in the top half but couldn’t take any more advantage of a bases loaded with no outs situation.
The Cougars tied the game in the top of the third as Carter had a two-run single. Edwards drew a bases loaded walk which brought Knox home. Once again, however, Piedmont left the bases loaded.
Knights pitcher Travis Cumbie worked 6.1 innings and despite walking 11 batters and hitting another, he remained in the game as his defense made several plays.
Rustin worked the final out of the seventh for Windsor although he allowed two hits and walk.
NOTES: The game was the final one for Windsor coach Tyler Brown, who has been hired as Stratford’s next coach. Brown is a graduate of Stratford Academy.
“This team (at Windsor) will always be special to me,” Brown said after the championship series. “We had some chances, even down to the last inning today. Piedmont is a solid team and they are championship caliber for sure.”
The list of All-Region players for 4-AA was released by the GISA. Piedmont players named All-Region include Zach Beggs, Josh Williams, Michael Davis, Hunter Knox, Noah Quick, Brock Carter and Mack Brady.
Windsor had six players named All-Region including Josh Brooks, William Owenby, Austin Thomas, Travis Cumbie, Seth Elder and Landry Rustin.
Saturday’s championship was the third in program history for Piedmont. Previously, the program claimed state titles in 1992 and 2014.